Book Review: Amy Baker’s Number 5

I have a number of friends who are writers, and we’ve all taken different routes to get to where we are today and where we want to be. Amy Baker is a good friend of mine (and a bit of rival – who I’m losing to right now!) and we’ve had many conversations about writing and books. Sound dull? Maybe, but then why are you here, on a blog about writing and books?! Exactly.

So we have Number 5, a fictional story set in Bradford and other locations in the country. With a great, flowing narrative and detailed characters, this is a story with real weight and impact behind it. It will open your eyes to parts of the world you didn’t see before – or maybe you didn’t want to.

Getting out of my comfort zone

Number 5 by Amy Baker

Safe to say that Number 5 isn’t what I normally read – I’m normally a science fiction, fantasy and horror fan. If university has taught me one thing, however, it’s that I shouldn’t be afraid to get out of my comfort zone and try something new. So, when Amy tells me her book is available, I figured it was a good time to give it a shot – and I already told her I would.

Now, a book on prostitution on the streets of Bradford definitely got me thinking. I wasn’t sure how close I could get on with this and the protagonist, Gemma, was written in a way I didn’t really enjoy. On the other hand, she was consistent and showed great development so I was able to appreciate that. It’s encouraging to see character development as an important part to a story.

Relating to Gemma

In all honesty, there wasn’t much I could relate to Gemma with. Her life and personality are very different from my own, for obvious and not so obvious reasons. I was able to understand where she was coming from – especially the desire to move on from the past. That’s something that I think most people can understand, at least one some level.

Even without that, it’s clear that it’s a serious situation but the story doesn’t revolve around that. It starts with it and it’s always there, sometimes on the periphery, but Gemma’s journey to find a better life, to become the person she’s always wanted to be is also something I get.

Am I making a little light of the situation? Sure, but I like to look at the positives. You’ll understand more when you read the book.

A different view on life

Number 5 is definitely something different. I honestly don’t know if I’d go back to it soon, or if I’d stick with that genre – it’s just not me. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s a fantastic book. The story is gripping and written well. It flows great and when the tension rises, you won’t be able to stop reading.

I’m always happy to try something new and I’m glad I did with this book. It’s an eye opener and sure that Amy Baker has many more stories to come. If you’re interested in trying Number 5 for yourself, head over to Amazon and grab yourself a copy!